


Alternate Endings of Object of My Affection

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Hogwarts Era, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-23
Updated: 2005-10-22
Packaged: 2018-10-27 10:46:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10807521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Hermione helps Neville understand.





	1. Happy Het Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

**Notes:** Original ending for “Object of My Affection”. I cut it at the last minute because I felt that it defeated the purpose of the challenge. This is the end result I was going for. Not necessarily Neville/Hermione, but the underlying concept behind Neville's acceptance of Harry/Ron. Besides, it wouldn't be a Harry/Ron fic without Know-it-All!Hermione. ;) Much e-love to zyre for the two-second shag beta.

 

_"Look at me," Ron whispers. His fingers graze Harry's eyelids as they flutter open. "That was me. I did that to you. I did it because I love you. You probably already know that, but I'm saying it anyway. I love you, Harry James Potter, and I don't care who knows."_

_"I've always loved you, Ron," Harry says before drifting off._

_Ron settles himself in the bed and smiles as Harry snuggles up to him in his sleep. Ron gives Harry a tight squeeze before joining him in slumber._

 

 

I wait until I hear Ron's snoring before I sneak out of bed and down the stairs to the common room. It's late; I suspect no one else will be there. I need some time to think.

 

I'm wrong. Hermione is curled up in her usual armchair, surrounded by her usual mountain of books. She doesn't notice me and continues writing what looks like a novel on a roll of parchment.

 

I watch her for a moment before announcing my presence. She is wearing a dressing gown, her hair wild and bushy as it always is. But there's something different about her; I can't exactly put my finger on it, but she has changed somehow.

 

She pauses in her writing and looks up at me. She doesn't appear startled at all. A smile creeps across her face as she neatly places her work aside and stands up.

 

"Hullo, Neville," she says simply.

 

"Hullo, Hermione," I say.

 

She motions me over to the couch and I follow. "What are you doing up so late?" I ask.

 

We sit. I'm facing forward and Hermione is facing me. "I could ask the same of you, but it's not even half ten. I'm finishing my Potions essay."

 

"That's not due for a week!" I say incredulously.

 

She looks at me pointedly. "Surely you didn't come all the way down here to reprimand me for completing my homework early." Her face softens. "Is something on your mind?"

 

Her implied tone makes me think she already knows. Hell, she probably does. So I tell her. "Yes. I just saw something… _interesting_."

 

She rolls her eyes and sighs. "It's about damn time."

 

I gape at her. "How on earth…" I think out loud, trailing off. "Never mind." 

 

"Are you all right?" she asks, placing one hand on my knee.

 

I look down at her hand and back up to her face. She looks genuinely concerned. "You know, I am," I answer honestly. "I should be irate or heartbroken or insanely jealous or _something_. But I'm not. In fact, I'm truly happy for them, if you can believe it."

 

"I can believe it," Hermione replies. "I was confused at first, too."

 

"How long have you known?" I ask.

 

"About you or them?" She laughs quietly. "Doesn't matter, it's the same answer for both. Years. All three of you are quite obvious, you know."

 

I feel my face heating up and I know I'm blushing.

 

"Everyone thought Ron and I would end up together," she goes on, "but I knew better. Their love for each other is much stronger than my love for Ron could ever be. Besides, it would never work out between us. Can you imagine? We'd kill each other before we even made it to the bedroom."

 

I laugh despite myself. "I guess you're right," I say. "Strangely enough, after seeing them together tonight, I don't even feel anything towards Harry anymore. Nothing more than friendship, that is. It's like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, a weight that I've been carrying for _six years_. I feel so light now."

 

I'm rambling, but Hermione makes no effort to stop me, listening intently and nodding. "So what are you going to do now?"

 

"Move on, I suppose." I eye her hand, still on my knee, and suddenly I figure out what's different about her. "Hermione?"

 

"Yes?" She looks at me expectantly. She probably already knows what I'm going to say.

 

I say it anyway. "Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

 

She grins and squeezes my knee. "I thought you'd never ask."

 

_Fin._


	2. Hilarious Horny-Boy Ending

**Notes:** Alternate ending for “Object of My Affection”. This came to me as I wrote Ron's last line, and even though it doesn't fit with the overall concept of the story, it was too funny not to write. Much e-love to zyre for the two-second shag beta.

 

_"Look at me," Ron whispers. His fingers graze Harry's eyelids as they flutter open. "That was me. I did that to you. I did it because I love you. You probably already know that, but I'm saying it anyway. I love you, Harry James Potter, and I don't care who knows."_

 

 

"Good, because we expect this to be a nightly performance."

 

Harry turns pale and Ron blushes to his ears. Both of their heads snap towards the other side of the dorm, along with my own. We see Seamus poking his head out of his bed hangings with a wicked grin on his face.

 

Harry is speechless, but Ron's in a right state. "You were _watching_ us? How sick can you be? What happened to your silencing charms?"

 

"Are you kidding?" calls out a different voice. "Muggles pay good money to watch this shite! You think we're going to pass up a chance to have a front-row seat for the live show?"

 

"Dean?" Ron looks confused. "Why are you in Seamus' bed?" 

 

"Wait for it," Seamus says quietly. "One, two -"

 

Ron's jaw drops as realization smacks him in the face. "Oh my -" he trails off, turning even redder. "I had no idea."

 

Dean chuckles. "I guess we're better at hiding it than you."

 

"And we think to close the hangings," Seamus adds.

 

Harry bursts out laughing. "What?" he protests to Ron's narrowed eyes. "You have to admit, this is kind of funny."

 

"Hilarious, actually," says Seamus.

 

"Is Neville the only one of us who isn't a poof?" Ron asks incredulously. 

 

"Doubtful," replies Dean. "He's probably been watching you two the whole time."

 

"I heard that," I say.

 

"Busted!" Dean and Seamus exclaim triumphantly.

 

"So what if I am?" I retort. "You lot clearly have no room to judge."

 

"You got that right," says Harry. "Now if the three of you don't mind, I have some unfinished business to attend to." He flashes us a wicked grin before casting the silencing charm around his bed and closing his hangings all the way.

 

"Dammit, Finnigan," hisses Dean crossly, "why did you have to say something? Now we don't get to see what happens next."

 

"I could tell you," says Seamus, lowering his voice seductively. "Or maybe I'll just show you."

 

There is some muffled whispering, followed by Seamus' voice. "Neville? Can you still hear us?"

 

"Yeah," I say. "Don't worry, I'm about to put up the charm."

 

"Wait," says Seamus. "Dean and I were wondering if you wanted to come over here and play with us."

 

I raise an eyebrow and choke on my own breath. "Come again?"

 

"That's the plan," says Dean.

 

Harry who?

 

_Fin._


End file.
